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15 events to check out at Illuminate Adelaide

Start at number one and follow the city lights this July.

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By Lauren Ferrone
Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Updated: May 30, 2022 at 7:30 am

South Australia is no stranger to the spotlight and is famous for its food, wine and festivals. This winter, we’re shining bright for another reason.

To celebrate the second year of the mesmerising winter lights event, Illuminate Adelaide, we’ve put together a guide of what to see and do when the switch is flicked on from 1 to 31 July.

1. BASE CAMP

When: 1–31 July
Where: Victoria Square

Every great adventure starts somewhere. Before witnessing Adelaide light up the dark, head to Victoria Square, strap on ice skates and glide into the night. With an ice-skating rink, drinks, nibbles and of course, bright lights, Illuminate Adelaide’s Base Camp is like the city’s very own Rockefeller Center (minus the giant, glowing Christmas tree).

2. LIGHT CREATURES

When: 7–31 July
Where: Adelaide Zoo

Witness animal sculptures at Adelaide Zoo change colour like chameleons. Watch pandas tumble playfully along the grass, glowing giraffes bob their heads among the constellations and dancing jellyfish swim between a kaleidoscope of colourful coral. Don’t forget to look into the distance to see a magical Dreamtime skink’s stubby legs move ever so slowly.

Light Creatures, Adelaide Zoo.
A magical Dreamtime skink at Adelaide Zoo. Image: Frankie The Creative

3. CITY LIGHTS

When: 15–31 July
Where: Adelaide CBD

Illuminate Adelaide’s free light trails takes city dwellers down hidden laneways and open spaces to discover more than 40 art installations. Both large and small projections are scattered around town for visitors to view.

4. LIGHT CYCLES

When: 7–31 July
Where: Adelaide Botanic Garden

You’d be forgiven for thinking glow worms have taken up residence at Adelaide Botanic Garden as it transforms into an enchanted, luminescent forest. Bright lights, video projections and sound effects intertwine to create a space where you feel at one with nature. Here’s the best part: RAA members get 20% off full-priced tickets to Light Cycles.

Building lights up blue.
Adelaide Botanic Garden’s glasshouse lights up. Image: Moment Factory

5. GORILLAZ

When: 28 July
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Rock out to the UK’s unconventional band Gorillaz as they storm the stage with a 20-strong ensemble. Illuminate Adelaide is the first appearance by the Grammy Award-winning musos in Adelaide in more than a decade.

6. CONTROL NO CONTROL

When: 15–31 July
Where: West Precinct of City Lights

This light installation is a 4m LED cube which reacts to everything that touches it, giving you full control of the patterns and sounds that transpire.

7. A MIRRORED CITY

When: 15–31 July
Where: North Precinct of City Lights

Powered by RAA Solar, A Mirrored City allows us to slow down and reflect on South Australia’s beauty. Weave your way through glowing buildings, which are shrouded in light, and feature images of our great state and discover why we call it home.

Brightly lit buildings projected through light.
Time for reflection at A Mirrored City installation. Image: VIVID

8. GOING OUT BUSH BY VINCENT NAMATJIRA

When: 15–31 July
Where: North Precinct of City Lights

Award-winning portraitist from Indulkana in South Australia’s APY Lands, Vincent Namatjira – the great-grandson of painter Albert Namatjira – brings his work to life through animations and light projections on the façade of The Art Gallery of South Australia.

9. SUBMERGENCE

When: 15–31 July
Where: North Precinct of City Lights

Submerge yourself in thousands of suspended lights which change colours and patterns as you walk through a hybrid environment that is both atmospheric and responsive.

Submergence
Submerge yourself in thousands of suspended lights. Image: Rikard Osterlund

10. THE POOL

When: 15–31 July
Where: North Precinct of City Lights

Dive into The Pool – a giant field of circular, coloured lights that flicker on and off when you step on them. Installation creator, Jen Lewin, was inspired by Australian tidal pools before taking the plunge to create the technology and code behind this interactive project.

The Pool by Jen Lewin Studio
Take the plunge in a pool of lights. Image: Jen Lewin Studio

11. IMPULSE

When: 15–31 July
Where: North Precinct of City Lights

Take your pick from 15 giant glowing seesaws set up in Adelaide Festival Centre Plaza and swing up and down. We promise letting the kids stay up past their bedtime will be worth it after seeing their faces light up with glee.

12. NEIGHBOURHOOD

When: 15–31 July
Where: East Precinct of City Lights

This charming project sees Adelaide transform into a humble European village, as illuminated laundry hangs from building to building. This installation is more than just a reminder to tackle that mountain of dirty laundry. Creator Sergey Kim says it’s about rebuilding connections and embracing communities from all walks of life.

Illuminate clothing hangs on a washing line.
An installation we’re hanging to see is Neighbourhood by Sergey Kim. Image: Janus van den Eijnden

13. CHANDELIER HARP

When: 15–31 July
Where: West Precinct of City Lights

Feel the music move through your body as low-voltage lasers shine to the ground. The lasers can be ‘plucked’, much like the string of a harp, using sensors that trigger circuitry and produce musical notes, giving you the chance to create various sounds.

14. FUTURES

When: 15–31 July
Where: West Precinct of City Lights

The future has never looked brighter as you wander down a 50m walkway of moving lights and mirrors. This thought-provoking light installation highlights how reflecting on the past is the first step to moving forward.

Futures light installation with four people standing in front of it.
Wander down a 50m walkway of moving lights and mirrors. Image: Supplied

15. LIGHT CYCLES BAR

When: 7–31 July
Where: Adelaide Botanic Garden

End your Illuminate Adelaide experience with a drink at Light Cycles Bar where you and friends can exchange glowing reviews of your night before it’s lights out.

Want to buy tickets to Illuminate Adelaide?

RAA members save on ticket prices to Light Cycles.

Find out more

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